The Absolute Easiest Way to Avoid Hair-Straightener Dents

The all-important flatiron: We know how to curl our hair with it and even press our shirts with the thing. At this point, you’d think we’d be hair-straightening pros. The truth? We still get those awful creases near our roots every time we aim for super-sleek locks. Here’s an easy way to avoid them.

What you do: Take the top layers of your hair and hold them up vertically away from your scalp. Move the straightener from the root out toward the tip, then let the hair fall naturally as it cools.

Why it works: Instead of clamping your flatiron down on a section of hair that’s sitting against your head (which causes the dreaded crinkle), using this method allows you to straighten hair closer to the root, which then cools at a vertical angle and falls naturally into place, no dents or creases in sight.

So what if your 14-year-old niece has been doing this for years? You’re still a hair goddess in our book.